It is known that such floor boards can be applied for forming a floating floor covering. Herein, these floor boards during installation are coupled at their side edges, either by means of a classical tongue and groove connection, wherein these latter possibly are glued into each other, or by means of mechanical coupling parts providing for a mutual locking of the floor panels, for example, in horizontal as well as in vertical direction, as described for example, in the International Patent Applications WO 97/47834, WO 01/75247, WO 02/059435, WO 03/016654, WO 2006/043893 and WO 2009/066153, all incorporated herein by reference.
Floor boards of the abovementioned type show the disadvantage that they easily take up moisture, which as such may lead to a variety of undesired effects, such as upstanding edges or premature wear.
WO 2008/078181 discloses an edge treatment for floor boards, wherein an active agent with moisture-repellent effect is coated onto the mechanical coupling means. The active agent comprises a fluorinated polymer, or copolymer and may be dispersed in water. As an alternative the WO '181 also discloses edge treatments with a hardened monomer-free UV lacquer or a solidified hot-melt glue. Such coating may interfere with the coupling means and lead to difficulties in installation and/or to malfunctioning joints, e.g. gaps.
BE 1011466, DE 200 02 744 U1, WO 03/012224, WO 2010/122514 and EP 2 147 762 disclose an impregnation of MDF/HDF material for the core of a floor board, e.g. with polyurethane or MDI (methylene diphenyl di-isocyanate), such that an enhanced side edge area originates where the mechanical coupling parts are formed. It is sometimes hard to penetrate the MDF/HDF material sufficiently deep to obtain a lasting minimization of the effects of moisture on the floor boards.
DE 10 2005 058 971 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,584,583 disclose the use of swelling materials, such as hydrogels, for sealing the joint upon moisture ingress. Such swelling material may only become effective after the first damage to the floor boards has been done.